Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods of distributing granular materials, and in particular to manually carried and operated granular material distributing with enhanced distribution and flow maintenance features.
Related Art
In many situations when the utilization of a granular material is required, the means of application of the granular product can be problematic. In these situations one frequently wants to distribute the material broadly, have a degree of control of the depth and spread of application, and be able to cover a substantial area with a minimum of difficulty. The ability to cover a substantial area is due to the nature of many of these granular materials, which include rock salt for deicing walk/driveways, fertilizer for aiding plant growth, plant seeds, and other forms of surface treatments. In certain circumstances, such as deicing walkways or scattering a water treatment across a pond, there are constraints on one's ability to easily and/or safely traverse the area being distributed across. Additionally, both for ease of application as well as increased speed, it is preferable to be able to propel the granular material a fair distance away from where one stands. While there are no shortage of differing mechanisms for accomplishing these tasks, such as salt spreading trucks and crop dusters, in many situations, such as deicing a home sidewalk or seeding a small lawn, it is only practical to use manual distribution.
While manually distributing the granular material is often the only pragmatic approach, it is also an approach that can present significant obstacles. Consider the likely most common situation in which a typical American homeowner would need to cover a substantial area with a granular material: namely deicing a frozen sidewalk or driveway with rock salt or a similar substitute. The difficulties involved can vary with every differing residence and particular weather conditions in effect, but one common issue is the need to walk on an icy path in order to be able to spread a deicer. A typical sidewalk or driveway will easily require covering an area that spreads at least 25 feet, and it is not likely that many healthy adult males will be able to accurately throw salt to cover an area from 0 to 25 feet evenly, accurately, and reliably, much less a 75 year old grandmother with a bad back. Accomplishing the deicing will almost always entail getting out upon an icy surface, while carrying a large container of the granular material. Hence, anybody would benefit from an easily utilized device which would help both in carting the material as well as facilitating its spreading, such as by enabling almost anyone to easily and reliably manually propel the granular material as far as 25 feet.
Additional features can also be beneficial in a granular material spreading device including an automatic charging capacity, wherein the device would keep the supply of granular material available for application without need for separate additional actions. Another related helpful capability would be for the device to preempt the formation of clumps of the granular material when it traverses the supply path. Also useful would be a capacity to adapt to a variety of differing types of granular material, as well as differing types of granular material supply containers, so that the device would have greater versatility. It would be preferable for the manner of use to be a relatively natural motion that would not require specific training or practice. Still further aid would be provided if the use of the device could involve ergonomically prudent practices, both in its manner of use and its manner of carrying it's supply of granular material.